Literature of Redemption

Dorothy Allison

Novels of redemption don’t necessarily have anything to do with organized religion, politics, or ethics. Rather, they address a fundamental human theme that cuts across all social, cultural, economic, and religious lines: the needs and labors of becoming true to one’s self and one’s ideals.

Nuala O’Faolain

In an intensely personal sense, “redemption” means becoming a better person, or a happier person, according to one’s own moral compass. Often, it requires an epic struggle to rise above the tragic vicissitudes or quotidian restraints of everyday life.